Problematic Senate Border Plan in the Works

WASHINGTON — According to news reports, Sens. Corker (R-Tenn.) and Hoeven (R-N.D.) plan to file an amendment today to the immigration reform bill that would place an additional 20,000 border patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border, require construction of 700 miles of additional border fencing, and provide money for aerial drones.

"This plan would double the number of border patrol agents to 40,000 and appears to more than triple spending on border enforcement activities at a time when unauthorized entry is at near-historic lows," said Joanne Lin, American Civil Liberties Union legislative counsel. "This is unnecessary because the underlying legislation already includes $6 billion more for border enforcement activities, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates would reduce unauthorized entry significantly. Furthermore, Border Patrol has demonstrated itself to be an agency that abuses its power and lacks independent oversight. This massive deployment of force would be simply devastating for border communities."